'Positive signs' raising hopes of downtown Taunton business owners

Saturday

Jan 25, 2014 at 10:25 PMJan 25, 2014 at 10:35 PM

Marc Larocque Enterprise Staff Writer @Enterprise_Marc

TAUNTON — After several years of sidewalk and infrastructure projects to help revitalize downtown Taunton, several store owners, economic development experts and other residents say they are seeing signs of improvement for the business atmosphere in the central section of the city.

"I think there is a growing sense of optimism about downtown," said Elisa Scully, the interim executive director of the nonprofit Downtown Taunton Foundation. "A lot of that has to do with investment city has made in infrastructure. … It seems the downtown is improving. It's looking more attractive and more modern."

Since the inauguration of current Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. in January 2012, the city government has made the downtown a focal point for infrastructure projects and aesthetic improvements. At the same time, the Downtown Taunton Foundation and its partnership with the Business Improvement District, a group of about 60 businesses and property owners in the area that formed in 2010, have been working to promote the interests of Main Street and the Taunton Green area and to spur development.

Hoye has said that the infrastructure upgrades his administration has been involved with — including two phases of sidewalk improvement projects in 2012 and 2013 totaling $2.1 million, with a sewer and water main overhaul — are essential to providing a catalyst for downtown revitalization. The city projects came after vacancies and blighted buildings plagued the downtown during the nation's economic downturn.

While there are still some empty storefronts in the downtown area, according to several stakeholders, the pattern of vacancies and blighted buildings is beginning to reverse.

"There are a number of positive signs by virtue of people actually occupying and redeveloping some of the vacant and underutilized buildings," Scully said.

Jose Bejarano, who has been the face behind Tux Towne on Main Street for 20 years, has kept a close eye on vacancies and newcomers in downtown Taunton as an active member of the BID. In the last several years, Bejarano said that some of the notable additions and improvements in the area have included a new tobacco shop taking the place of a flower shop that closed after 95 years of business; a new coffee shop that opened in place of a shuttered bakery; and a new Asian restaurant that is under complete reconstruction in the place of the long broken down Chinese food joint once known as The Orient.

Bejarano also pointed to several housing construction efforts, including the Baron Lofts/Trescott Street Gallery project opened by the DTF in a former furniture store, and another that the DTF is starting at the former Steve's Backstage Pass on School Street. In addition to that, Bejarono said at least four business owners in the last few years have bought their buildings, additional space or adjacent buildings, with the belief that the value of property in downtown Taunton is on the rise.

"People are investing now," Bejarano said. "I think there is definitely a belief in the future of downtown."

Brian's Sporting Goods, owned by Taunton's Joe Rosa, is the newest addition to the downtown business landscape, filling a vacancy left by Tuxedos By Merian. After a year in the Weir neighborhood, Rosa said he made the move to downtown to attract more customers, and during his first month downtown, Rosa said business was good.

"The visibility I think is better," said Rosa, who sells mostly baseball equipment, along with soccer, basketball and floor hockey products. "There is more convenience and there is a lot more traffic coming by here on this street. … They fixed the sidewalks. I think that's really great for business down here. There is a bunch of organizations that are helping with signs and stuff."

Hoye said that he believes more businesses will be moving into the downtown this spring. "You're going to start to see some additional businesses once the weather changes and the weather gets warmer," he said.

Hoye said the city, the BID, and the Greater Taunton Area Chamber of Commerce are "always actively seeking new business" to make the downtown "a place where you can live, shop, work and eat." Hoye said while the economic downturn and other factors had a negative effect on downtown Taunton, the center of the city is taking incremental steps toward increased prosperity.

"The downturn of our downtown didn't happen overnight and it's not going to be rebuilt overnight," Hoye said. "I think you are seeing momentum and progress for the first time in a long time."

The first step to revitalization for downtown was the $2.1 million investment, but Hoye also pointed to other efforts, including a city-sponsored downtown storefront awning and sign program, "to give the buildings more curb appeal."

Kevin Shea, Hoye's director of economic and community development, said that last year the city gave out its first six grants to downtown businesses through the façade improvement program. Shea said that the program is being funded again for 2014 through a federal Community Development Block Grant, with grants of up to $1,900 for eligible storefront applicants.

"We are looking at the success of it to see if we can expand it," Shea said. "People are definitely taking advantage of that."

Shea said that in addition to city initiatives to improve the downtown as a commercial-friendly area, along with increased housing development, he believes that the area would become more successful with expanded nighttime hours by area businesses and additional nighttime entertainment activities being offered. That would help create more symbiosis between businesses and potentially increase foot traffic.

"More activity on an extended hour basis would be good for downtown," Shea said.

From his perspective, Shea said that downtown Taunton is doing relatively well compared to other downtown areas in the region, when it comes to vacant or blighted storefronts. Shea said he credits the Taunton City Solicitor Jason Buffington's office with taking legal action on several downtown eyesores, including the former Star Theatre building, adding that turning around the properties will have a "tremendous" impact.

Along the lines of nighttime entertainment, DTF interim director Scully said downtown Taunton needs an "anchor business" with a large attraction.

Scully said her organization is working on a project to revitalize the old district courthouse on Court Street, to turn it into a civic center for performances. Scully said in addition to a need for a nighttime entertainment venue that draws a crowd, her organization is working with a local community college on a potential workforce training center in the downtown.

"We need a catalyst for new business," Scully said. "Another long-term goal is to have more housing development downtown that's quality housing. It's key. We have pretty low rent too. I think it's an affordable place to start your business. We need people who are within walking distance of the downtown to really make this a vibrant place."

Scully also said that if City Hall was fixed and put back into use, after a fire damaged the building in 2010, it would be "huge" for the vitality of the downtown.

Scully said that small improvements have been adding up to make downtown Taunton a much more inviting place. Another initiative by her organization is to provide $500 grants for downtown businesses that purchase surveillance cameras, which in turn improves the overall security of the downtown area. So far, just one business has taken advantage of the camera program.

In addition to that, the BID has made efforts to beautify the area, including hiring a maintenance man who cleans sidewalks and removes snow from them, in addition to work to put potted flowers on lampposts through the downtown.

Scully's organization holds its own events to draw more people to downtown, including a "paint and sip night," in which guests come to the Trescott Street Gallery, drink wine and learn to paint, before going out to eat at partnering restaurants that put on special deals for the night.

"The goal is getting people downtown in the evening, enjoying themselves and art," she said. "We hope it encourages them to do more shopping and dining downtown while they are here."